Grinding machines

ABSTRACT

A grinding machine in which two sets of probes are provided adjacent each of two motorized roll journal rests, each set of probes being set to act on the journals of a roll to be aligned in the machine and being connected with a sensor unit. Each sensor unit is used to control the motor of the adjacent motorized roll journal rest so that a balance of the probes is obtained which corresponds to correct alignment of the roll journal.

llnited States Patent 1151 3,660,944 Tittle et a1. 1 51 May 9, 1972 [54] GRINDING MACHINES References Cited [72] inventors: John Noel Tittle, Knutsford; Brian Rogers UNITED STATES A T 331mg. 22m? Em 1,003,719 9/1911 Dronsfield "5 1/49 8 3,088,250 5/1963 Hold et a1. ...51/49 X [73] Assignee: The Churchill Machine Tool Company 3,263,374 8/1966 Stuckey et a] ...51/49 X Limited, Broadheath, Altrincham, 3,281,995 1 1/1966 Parrella et al 1.51/49 X Cheshire, England Primary Examiner-Lester M. Swingle [22] Flled 1970 Attorney-Holman & Stern [21] Appl. No.: 10,135

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data A grinding machine in which two sets of probes are provided Feb 1 1 969 Great Britain 7 275/69 adjacent each of two motorized roii journal rests, each set of probes being set to act on the journals of a roll to be aligned in [52] U 5 Cl 51/49 51/165 R the machine and being connected with a sensor unit. Each [51] i 5/18 sensor unit is used to control the motor of the adjacent mo- [58] g H R 239 torized roll journal rest so that a balance of the probes is obtained which corresponds to correct alignment of the roll journal.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEMAY 9 I972 I v 3. 660,944

I SHEET 1 or 3 FIG.

A-rnm Are r5 PATENTEDMM 9 I972 SHEET 3 OF 3 I, luv ew-mm$ GRINDING MACHINES This invention relates to grinding machines and more particularly to the alignment of rolls on grinding machines.

When a steel mill or paper mill roll is loaded into a machine for grinding or re-grinding, it is necessary to align the workpiece so that its axis is parallel to the traverse axis of the grinding wheel along the workpiece, or workpieces along the grinding wheel, in order that when ground the ends of the roll are of the same diameter. This problem does not arise in normal cylindrical grinding as the workpiece is held between centers but in the case of roll grinding the workpiece is supported on rests which locate on journals at the ends of the rolls, these journals being those used to carry the bearings when in the mill. When setting-up in conventional grinding machines, the supporting rests are adjusted at an early stage in the grinding operation to establish parallelism of the traverse and work axes as already described. This is a troublesome procedure and makes the automating of such a process very difficult.

An object of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantage.

According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for grinding a roll comprising a pair of roll journal rests for supporting the roll, a grinding wheel adapted for longitudinal traverse relative to the roll, means for adjusting the position of the roll journal rests relative to the path of traverse grinding wheel, at least two measuring devices adjacent each of the two roll journal rests, each measuring device being arranged to produce an output in accordance with the position of an adjacent surface of the roll relative to an axis which is parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel traverse, and means for actuating the roll journal rests adjusting means so that a desired relationship between the output is obtained which corresponds to the location of the roll in the desired position relative to the traverse path of the grinding wheel.

Preferably, the signal is arranged automatically to stop adjustment of the roll journal rests.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a grinding machine according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a detail view showing a centering device on the grinding machine of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a detail view showing a motorized roll journal rest on the grinding machine of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the connection between the probes, the differential pressure indicator and the motors of the motorized roll journal rests.

Referring now to the drawings, the grinding machine which is for grinding a roll R, comprises a bed 4, a pair of roll journal rests indicated generally at 5 supported on the bed 4 and a grinding wheel 6 movable in known manner longitudinally of the bed 4 on a slide 7. Each roll journal rest 5 (see FIG. 3) comprises a pair of hydrostatic or other bearing pads 8 and 9 spaced apart radially of the roll R to be ground. Bearing pad 9 of each rest 5 acts in a horizontal direction and forms the top bearing pad. These two top bearing pads 9 are each mounted on a top block 10 which is movable by means of a motor 16 relative to the other bearing pad 8 in a direction normal to the axis of the roll R.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, a pair of measuring devices (only one shown in FIG. 2) in the form of a pair of spaced pneumatic probes 11 are mounted adjacent each roll journal rest 5. Each probe 11 is disposed below and points towards the desired axis of rotation of the roll. The probes II of each pair are disposed one on either side of a vertical plane passing through the desired axis of rotation of the roll R, which axis being parallel to the axis of traverse of the grinding wheel 6.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, pipelines l2 connect all four probes II with a common air supply and pipelines 13, from each pair of probes 11 are connected to a differential pressure sensor 14 which is operatively connected to a feed motor control unit 15 controlling the operation of the feed motor 16 for the adjacent motorized top block 10. Each pair of probes 11 and motorized top block 10 associated therewith operate independently.

A shield plate 17 is fastened to each roll journal rest 5 to protect the probes II from damage especially during loading and unloading of a roll R from the machine.

To set up the system, a roll is ground and aligned manually adjusting one or both of the journal rests 5. The differential pressure sensor 14 for each pair of probes II is then balanced.

In use, a roll R is loaded into the machine with its journals 1 supported by the roll journal rests 5. In this position, the balancedprobes 11 are nearly touching the surface of the roll journals 1. The roll R is rotated, air is supplied to the probes 11 through pipe lines 12 and there is a leakage of air between the probes I1 and the surfaces of the roll journals 1. The leakage of air from each probe 11 is dependent upon the position of the roll R relative to the probe 11 and this affects the air pressure in the pipeline 13 from the probe 11 to the difi'erential pressure sensors 14. Thus, if the roll R is not correctly aligned the leakages between the probes 11 and the roll R will be different and difierent pressures will exist in the pipelines 13 to the sensors 14. If, on the other hand, the roll is correctly aligned, the leakage between each probe 11 and the roll R will be the same and the same pressure will exist in each pipeline 13 to the respective sensors 11. The datum for the probes 11 is set by manually grinding and measuring a roll, as is mentioned above.

The misalignment of the roll R at the points where the probes 11 register is indicated by the pressure sensors 14 each of which will pass a signal to its respective control unit 15 indicating the direction of misalignment of the roll R in a manner known per se. Each motor control unit 15 then, in known manner, causes its associated motor 16 to rotate in the appropriate direction to move the top bearing pad 9 and thus the roll R until the output from the probes II are balanced and the signal output from the sensor 14 stops thus causing the motor 16 to stop.

This operation ensures not only that the roll is aligned correctly, i.e., parallel to the axis of traverse of the grinding wheel, but it also has its axis fixed relative to the machine.

Grinding or regrinding of the roll can then be commenced.

It is possible to align the roll while it is not being rotated but inaccuracies may be introduced if localized surface imperfections occur in the vicinity of any of the probes. By rotation of the roll during alignment, the effects of the imperfections tend to be cancelled out.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for grinding a roll comprising a pair of roll journal rests for supporting the roll, a grinding wheel adapted for longitudinal traverse relative to the roll along an axis, means for adjusting the position of the roll journal rests relative to the path of traverse of the grinding wheel, at least two measuring devices adjacent each of the two roll journal rests, each measuring device being arranged to produce an output in accordance with the position of an adjacent surface of the roll relative to an axis which is parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel traverse, and means for actuating the roll journal rests adjusting means so that a desired relationship between the outputs is obtained which corresponds to the location of the roll in the desired position relative to the axis of the grinding wheel traverse.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating means comprises, for the measuring devices adjacent each roll journal rest, means adapted to compare the output from the measuring devices and to cause the associated journal rest adjusting means to adjust the associated journal rest until the output from the measuring devices are balanced, the comparing means being adapted to pass a signal to stop the adjusting means when the outputs from measuring devices are balanced.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the journal rests adjusting means comprises a motor for each journal rest and the actuating means also comprises a control unit for each motor, each of said control units being operable in response to signals from the respective comparing means.

direction with respect to the desired axis of rotation of the roll. 6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein each probe produces an output which is in the form of pressure in a con- 5 duit leading to the actuating means.

I i l l i 

1. A machine for grinding a roll comprising a pair of roll journal rests for supporting the roll, a grinding wheel adapted for longitudinal traverse relative to the roll along an axis, means for adjusting the position of the roll journal rests relative to the path of traverse of the grinding wheel, at least two measuring devices adjacent each of the two roll journal rests, each measuring device being arranged to produce an output in accordance with the position of an adjacent surface of the roll relative to an axis which is parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel traverse, and means for actuating the roll journal rests adjusting means so that a desired relationship between the outputs is obtained which corresponds to the location of the roll in the desired position relative to the axis of the grinding wheel traverse.
 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating means comprises, for the measuring devices adjacent each roll journal rest, means adapted to compare the output from the measuring devices and to cause the associated journal rest adjusting means to adjust the associated journal rest until the output from the measuring devices are balanced, the comparing means being adapted to pass a signal to stop the adjusting means when the outputs from measuring devices are balanced.
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the journal rests adjusting means comprises a motor for each journal rest and the actuating means also comprises a control unit for each motor, each of said control units being operable in response to signals from the respective comparing means.
 4. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein two measuring devices are provided adjacent each roll journal rest, one device being on either side of a vertical plane passing through the desired axis of rotation of the roll.
 5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein each measuring device comprises a probe positioned to act in a radial direction with respect to the desired axis of rotation of the roll.
 6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein each probe produces an output which is in the form of pressure in a conduit leading to the actuating means. 